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Inaugural Drag Laureate Program, Homeless Count, National Preparedness Month & Potential Cap on Rent Increases for Rent Stabilized Properties
City of West Hollywood Opens Applications for Inaugural Drag Laureate Program
WEST HOLLYWOOD – The City of West Hollywood is now accepting applications for its inaugural Drag Laureate Program. Applications should be submitted no later than 6 p.m. on Friday, September 30, 2022. Application requirements and submission information is available on the City's website.
The Drag Laureate is an honorary position for the City of West Hollywood and will be a champion for drag arts and culture. They will serve as the official ambassador of West Hollywood's LGBTQ community and nightlife by supporting local businesses and promoting arts and culture in West Hollywood.
The inaugural West Hollywood Drag Laureate will serve for a term of two (2) years, beginning November 2022 and ending October 2024 and will receive a $5000 honorarium each year. They will work with City of West Hollywood staff to carry out the Drag Laureate duties, including:
Attend and participate in six (6) West Hollywood business grand openings/ribbon cuttings and/or West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce mixers or events to support local West Hollywood businesses.
Provide a drag performance at three (3) City events.
Organize one (1) yearly event in conjunction with City staff to promote drag culture (such as a panel discussion or performance workshop). The event during the second year will occur toward the end of the Drag Laureate's term and will focus on, and showcase, the Drag Laureate's work over the prior two years and how they have engaged, empowered, communicated, and educated the community about drag culture and how the Drag Laureate has supported the business community.
The Drag Laureate will also have the opportunity to participate in a documentary to be produced by the City which will feature a glimpse into a day-in-the-life of a drag performer and will showcase the Drag Laureate's work in West Hollywood.
The West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will partner with the City on the Drag Laureate program. Specifically, the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has created a new entertainer membership level specifically for unrepresented solo artists. The Drag Laureate will receive a complimentary Chamber membership which will provide them access to member resources and benefits, connections to bookings, opportunities to develop professional relationships with other businesses, support and fellowship from the greater business community, promotion and visibility throughout the West Hollywood business community, and marketing and promotion platforms and opportunities.
Additionally, through the West Hollywood Small Business Foundation (501c3) the Drag Laureate will have access to resources, information, and direct training related to building a business and marketing plans, creating budgets, setting up a business, promotion, brand protection, understanding contractual agreements, social media/website design, and more.
Only drag artists with a significant connection to the City of West Hollywood will be considered, such as: lives and/or works in the City, has volunteered on a regular basis for community programs that deliver services in the City, and/or has organized or participated in events that were co-sponsored by and/or took place in the City of West Hollywood.
Please refer to www.weho.org/streets to confirm that the residence address, work address, and/or the activities being presented for qualification are in the City of West Hollywood. Current City of West Hollywood appointed officials, elected officials, and City employees are not eligible to apply for the Drag Laureate position.
For more information about the Drag Laureate program, please contact the City of West Hollywood's Business Development Division, at (323) 848-XXXX or at [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Releases 2022 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), on Thursday, September 8, 2022, released the results of the 2022 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. LAHSA's official point-in-time count for the City of West Hollywood is 40 persons, a significant decrease from the 2020 count (112 persons) and the City's lowest number since the City began participating in the count in 2009.
The City looks to a range of data to understand trends in the number of community members experiencing homelessness in West Hollywood relative to the number of people getting housed. For example, in January 2020, the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count tallied 66,436 people experiencing homelessness across the region and 112 people in City of West Hollywood.
The 2022 LAHSA count for West Hollywood aligns with the monthly numbers reported by Ascencia, a nonprofit organization with which the City of West Hollywood contracts for homeless outreach, shelter, and housing support services. Through the City's contract with Ascencia, the outreach team provides the City with monthly data on the number of unsheltered community members in city public spaces and reports from the last year show a monthly average count of 40 people experiencing homelessness. Ascencia completes this ongoing count the last Friday of each month from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.
The official 2022 LA County Homeless Count is 69,144 people. This is a 4.1% increase from the 2020 Count. The Service Planning Area (SPA) 4 Count (which includes the areas of Skid Row and Hollywood in the City of Los Angeles, as well as the City of West Hollywood) also saw a 4% increase from 17,121 in 2020 to 17,820 in 2022. However, LAHSA believes those numbers are indicating a potential flattening of the curve. Regional increases are significantly down from the double-digit increases in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the regional level, the slowing in the growth of the region's homeless population is encouraging. That said, the City is aware that it continues to be frustrating that the regional social safety net is not yet making significant and sustained reductions in the number of people experiencing homelessness.
Even with the 2022 count data showing a marked decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness here, the day-to-day impacts of homelessness in West Hollywood are felt acutely by all community members and businesses and the City will continue to prioritize engaging with the community and fostering ongoing communication and outreach to support requests for help and get resources to people in need.
The City's sustained investments in homeless outreach, behavioral health services, case management, and housing retention is increasing the annual tally of community members who move off the streets and into their own homes. Additionally, two years of the City's emergency tenant protection policies, rental assistance, and other supportive programs have helped people remain in their housing during the economic instability stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of its regular meeting agenda on Monday, July 18, 2022, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood received an update regarding the City's Homeless Initiative. The update provided the City Council and the community with details about the Homeless Initiative's progress towards the goals of the Five-Year Plan to Address Homelessness in Our Community, as well as notable activities in the regional homeless service system, the delivery of local homeless services, and program outcomes from City-funded non-profit agencies.
The City's Human Services and Rent Stabilization Department's Strategic Initiatives Division oversees the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative in coordination with the City's Social Services Division. The Homeless Initiative is a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency collaborative response, which includes multiple City Departments, City-funded social service agencies, the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and Los Angeles County agencies.
Since October 2016, through West Hollywood's focused efforts, the City of West Hollywood and its partners have successfully supported more than 224 youth and adults in establishing permanent housing and ending their experience of homelessness; notably, 141 of these housing placements have occurred since October 2019, which marked the beginning of the City of West Hollywood's FY19-22 Social Service Grants contract cycle.
Through the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative, in partnership with the community, and with funding support from LA County Measure H, in 2018 the City established the "Five Year Plan to Address Homelessness in Our Community." The plan identifies seven goals — and key actions to reach these goals — based on feedback from the West Hollywood community and stakeholders:
Goal #1: Provide support and resources to City staff and contractors in responding appropriately, safely, and effectively to persons who are experiencing homelessness in West Hollywood.
Goal #2: Support businesses and residents in responding appropriately, safely, and effectively to persons who are experiencing homelessness in West Hollywood.
Goal #3: Establish bridge housing and day center facilities in West Hollywood to serve people who are homeless in the City.
Goal #4: Continue the City's support for the Rapid Re-Housing program to prevent homelessness among West Hollywood residents.
Goal #5: Increase the number of supportive housing, special needs housing, and other permanent housing options in West Hollywood for people who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness.
Goal #6: Strengthen partnerships with other cities and with nonprofit organizations to support regional and individualized solutions to homelessness.
Goal #7: Prevent homelessness among West Hollywood residents, especially seniors, individuals living with disabilities, and vulnerable families.
Making progress toward the goals of West Hollywood's Five-Year Plan remains critically important in directing the local response to homelessness. The 2022 West Hollywood Homeless Initiative progress report is available at www.weho.org/homeless.
The West Hollywood Homeless Initiative seeks to effectively address homelessness. If you are concerned about a community member who is homeless, call the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative Concern Line at (323) 848-6590. If your concern requires time-sensitive assistance during nights or weekends, please call the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station at (310) 855-8850.
For additional information about the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative, please visit www.weho.org/homeless. To learn more, watch a brief video overview about the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative on the City's WeHoTV YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/aAvwRExSeYY.
For more information, please contact Elizabeth Anderson, City of West Hollywood Strategic Initiatives Program Administrator, at (323) 848-6839 or [email protected].
September is National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month. This year's theme is A Lasting Legacy, the Life You Have Built is Worth Protecting. National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.
The City of West Hollywood encourages community members to act by creating an emergency preparedness plan with family and neighbors — and don't forget to include family pets in the plan. An emergency preparedness plan can help everyone to stay safe and effectively communicate during and after potential disasters or emergencies.
The federal government's website, ready.gov has recommended a step-by-step plan (available in multiple languages) to help prepare for any emergency this month and all year long:
Make A Plan: Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Update your plan based on any emergent viruses such as COVID-19 or Monkeypox.
Build A Kit: Gather enough supplies to last for several days after a disaster for everyone in your home. Don't forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly.
Protect Family and Property: Limit the impacts disasters have on you and your family. Know the risk of disasters in your area and check your insurance coverage. Learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards; act fast if you receive a local warning or alert.
Teach Youth About Preparedness: Talk to your kids about how to prepare for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.
Prepare Your Pets for Disasters: Your pets are important members of your family and should be included in your emergency plan.
The City invites community members to attend a free Emergency Preparedness Seminar on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 3 p.m. at the City of West Hollywood's City Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. The seminar will be led by Erik Franco, who is a Department of Homeland Security Instructor, California Police Officer Standards and Training Instructor, and an Emergency Medical, Search and Rescue Technician. Please RSVP to [email protected] to attend this seminar or for more information.
To learn more community safety tips, please visit the City of West Hollywood's public safety website area at www.weho.org/publicsafety.
For more information about National Preparedness Month, please contact City of West Hollywood Emergency Management Coordinator, Margarita Kustanovich, at (323) 848-6414 or [email protected].
In-Person and Virtual Meetings about a Sunset Date in 2023 for the Current COVID-19-Related Rent Increase Freeze and a Potential Cap on Rent Increases for Rent Stabilized Properties
The City of West Hollywood will be conducting virtual and in-person outreach meetings in September and early October 2022 about a sunset date in 2023 for the current COVID-19-related rent increase freeze and a potential cap on rent increases for rent stabilized properties.
Outreach meetings will seek to gauge ongoing impacts of the pandemic and gather feedback about ending the rent increase freeze, as well as about the proposed rent increase cap on tenants who reside in, and landlords who own, rent stabilized properties located within West Hollywood.
In March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of West Hollywood declared a local emergency. Shortly thereafter, on April 6, 2020, the West Hollywood City Council implemented a rent increase freeze for all rent stabilized properties until 60 days after the local emergency ends; this declaration is still in effect at this time.
At its regular meeting on Monday, August 15, 2022, the West Hollywood City Council directed City staff to return within 60 days with a proposal for a date to end the rent increase freeze during the first half of 2023 and to present an amendment to the City's Rent Stabilization Ordinance capping all future rent increases (annual general adjustment) for rent stabilized properties at 3%. The City encourages tenants and landlords to take part in meetings to learn more.
Virtual outreach meetings will be held via the Zoom platform:
For Tenants: Tuesday, September 27 at 7 p.m.
For Landlords: Wednesday, September 28 at 7 p.m.
More information and links to Zoom meetings are available on the City of West Hollywood's calendar on the City's website at www.weho.org/calendar.
In-person outreach meetings will take place at the Community Center at Plummer Park, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard:
For Tenants: Thursday, September 29 at 7 p.m.
For Landlords: Tuesday, October 4 at 7 p.m.
Drop-ins with City Rent Stabilization Division staff will be offered in a pop-up spot for tenants and landlords at the Helen Albert Certified Farmers' Market at Plummer Park, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Vista Lot adjacent to N. Vista Avenue and Fountain Avenue and will take place on Mondays, September 12, 19, and 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Additionally, the City's Rent Stabilization Division is conducting a community survey to gather input and feedback about the City's COVID-19-related rent increase freeze sunset date and potential cap on rent increases for rent stabilized properties. To participate in the community survey, please visit the City's website. The survey will be posted and open through Thursday, October 6, 2022, at 12 p.m. Tenants and landlords who would like a hard-copy version of the survey may contact the Rent Stabilization Division at [email protected].
As background, absent the current rent increase freeze, the current annual general adjustment, which is used as a measure to determine rent increases and is determined by calculating 75% of the percentage increase of the May-to-May Consumer Price Index, would have been 6% beginning September 1, 2022, the highest in the City's history. The existing cap on the annual general adjustment is 7%, but this cap was implemented prior to the enactment of the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which permits landlords to set a new, market-rate rent whenever a rent stabilized unit is vacated and re-rented.
The City of West Hollywood's Rent Stabilization Division is dedicated to programs that promote the quality of residential life — a core value of the City of West Hollywood. The City provides a breadth of information and services to tenants, owners, and property managers of residential rental properties, which includes information services and written materials. For additional information, please visit www.weho.org/rsd.
For more information, please contact a Rent Stabilization Information Coordinator at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6450.
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Celebrating Black History Month in February, Implementing a New Organics Collection Program, 'WeHo Reads' Launches on February 8 plus more
West Hollywood City Hall (Photo credit: City of West Hollywood/Jon Viscott)
City Celebrates Black History Month in February
WEST HOLLYWOOD – The City of West Hollywood celebrates Black History Month with events held throughout the month. Black History Month recognizes, celebrates, and honors the rich and diverse history and important contributions and achievements of African Americans, and is observed annually during the month of February.
On Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 9 a.m., the community is encouraged to participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event (previously postponed due to weather) at West Hollywood Elementary School, located at 970 N. Hammond Street. Residents, visitors, and community members are invited to take part in this day of service where volunteers will be helping to perform various landscaping, clean-up, painting, and other beautifying tasks at the school. Volunteers must be 13 years of age or older to participate.
To sign-up as a volunteer, please register on the City's volunteer portal at https://volunteer.weho.org/. For more information or questions about the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event, please contact the City's Community Programs Coordinator, Larissa Fooks at (323) 848-6413 or [email protected].
On Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visit the Black Women Lead Pop-Up Market. This free, open-air event will feature Black vendors, panelists, and performers, providing the community with the opportunity to celebrate Black History Month in West Hollywood. This event will take place at the West Hollywood Park Great Lawn, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard. Event updates will be provided on the City's website calendar at www.weho.org/calendar. For information, please contact City of West Hollywood Community Programs Coordinator Jasmine Duckworth at (323) 848-6559 or [email protected].
Additional programming during the month of February includes:
The City of West Hollywood presents WeHo Reads: Writing Paths Toward Justice: an exploration and panel discussion with authors who examine what happens when the social contract fractures along the journey towards justice will take place online at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
Walter Mosley is one of America's most celebrated writers with over 50 published books. His recently published novel, Every Man a King, is the second installment in his Joe "King" Oliver series.
Steph Cha is the author of Your House Will Pay, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the California Book Award, and the Juniper Song crime trilogy.
Kellye Garrett is an Anthony, Agatha, and Lefty award-winning author whose most recent suspense novel, Like a Sister, is about the death of a disgraced reality TV star.
Joe Ide is the author of the award-winning IQ series, including the most recent installment, Smoke.
Jordan Harper has been a music journalist, film critic, and TV writer. His most recent novel, Everybody Knows, is a crime thriller about a publicist who works for the corrupt and depraved elite in Southern California.
More information and an RSVP link is available at www.weho.org/wehoreads. For more information about WeHo Reads, contact City of West Hollywood Arts Coordinator Mike Che at (323) 848-6377 or [email protected]. For information, please contact City of West Hollywood Community Programs Coordinator Jasmine Duckworth at (323) 848-6559 or [email protected]. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City Encourages Community Members to Participate in American Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED Training
When an emergency happens, would you know what to do? Get certified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), First Aid, and Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to give you the confidence you need to respond in an emergency.
The City of West Hollywood is offering a free American Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED Certification Training on Saturday, February 4, 2023. The training will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center, located at 8750 El Tovar Place in the San Vicente/La Cienega Meeting Room. The training schedule will include a meal break. Parking will be available at the West Hollywood Park 5-Story parking structure, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard.
This American Red Cross Certification Training will cover adult and pediatric CPR/First Aid/AED topics and participants will learn how to respond to medical emergencies. Prior to meeting in-person, participants will be enrolled in an online learning session that takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete. There will be in-person section reviews and tests that will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours per section for participants to receive certification. The online learning session link will be sent out seven days prior to the in-person training session. All online coursework must be completed before the in-person training session.
Space is limited and is anticipated to reach capacity quickly. Enroll using the City of West Hollywood's "ActiveNet" online reservations portal. RSVPs require ActiveNet registration, which takes just a minute to complete.
Once capacity reaches limits, community members who are interested are encouraged to join a waitlist. The City will host additional American Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED Certification Trainings during the 2023 calendar year. To join this waitlist, please contact Cortez Jordan, in the City of West Hollywood's Recreation Services Division, at (323) 848-6585 and the City will reach out as future trainings are scheduled.
Knowledge in first aid has multiple benefits. Accidents are inevitable, and there is no guarantee that people are safe from any physical injury, illness, or trauma. The best thing that people can do is to be prepared when and if any accidents, mishaps, and occurrences happen. Every year, millions of people are hurt or killed from injuries due to inadequate response or lack of timely assistance.
The biggest difference between victims who survive and those who do not is a bystander's willingness to help. Performing any sort of basic life support on victims while an ambulance is on the way doubles a person's chance of survival.
For additional information about the City of West Hollywood's free American Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED Certification Training, please email [email protected] or call (323) 848-6538. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
West Hollywood's 2023 'WeHo Reads' Series 'Mindful Journeys' Launches on February 8, 2023
The City of West Hollywood is launching its 2023 WeHo Reads literary series with a reception, readings, and the launch of a new photographic exhibition. Community members are invited to celebrate art, literature, poets, and authors.
The kick-off event will take place on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the West Hollywood Library Community Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard.
At 6 p.m., there will be a reception for an exhibition of photographs from a contest that was held around the theme of the 2022 WeHo Reads series about creating joy in times of sorrow. The contest was held in the fall of 2022 and was juried by writers/photographers Lynell George and Marisela Norte. Photographers featured in this exhibition include: Natalia Affonso, Nadia Alamah, Rick Castro, Arpan Basu Chowdhury (who had the first-place winning submission), Gabriella Maria dos Santos Silva, Victoria Goring, Haro Istamboulian, Louis Jacinto, Alessia Piscopo, Mateo Salas, and Don Tinling.
At 7 p.m., there will be readings by authors featured in WeHo Reads including: bridgette bianca, Shonda Buchanan, Jen Cheng, Lisbeth Coiman, Flint, Charles Flowers, Peter J. Harris, Reuben "Tihi" Hayslett, Lester Graves Lennon, Malia Márquez, Thea Pueschel, Luivette Resto, Carla Sameth, Sehba Sarwar, Lynne Thompson, and Hazel Kight Witham.
RSVPs are required to attend this event at www.weho.org/wehoreads.
This year's theme for WeHo Reads is Mindful Journeys, and the events will feature writers who are seeking to navigate joy in the midst of sorrow and craft mindful journeys toward better futures, whether through fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.
WeHo Reads is presented by the City of West Hollywood's Arts Division and produced by BookSwell, LLC. Additional support for WeHo Reads is provided by UCLA Extension Writers' Program and Poets & Writers as well as media partnerships with Bookshop.org, Book Soup, and Los Angeles Review of Books.
Additional WeHo Reads 2023 series events will follow:
WeHo Reads: Writing Paths Toward Justice on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at 6 p.m. (online).
This discussion will explore what can we learn about human nature from imagining the paths taken by criminals and outcasts. Walter Mosley is one of America's most celebrated writers with over 50 published books. His recently published novel, Every Man a King, is the second installment in his Joe "King" Oliver series. Steph Cha is the author of Your House Will Pay, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the California Book Award, and the Juniper Song crime trilogy. Kellye Garrett is an Anthony, Agatha, and Lefty award-winning author whose most recent suspense novel, Like a Sister, is about the death of a disgraced reality TV star. Joe Ide is the author of the award-winning IQ series, including the most recent installment, Smoke. Jordan Harper has been a music journalist, film critic, and TV writer. His most recent novel, Everybody Knows, is a crime thriller about a publicist who works for the corrupt and depraved elite in Southern California. This online event will take place on the City of West Hollywood's WeHo Arts YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehoarts. Members of the public can RSVP and be sent a direct link to view the event by visiting the WeHo Reads webpage on the City's website at www.weho.org/wehoreads.
WeHo Reads: Crafting Literary Legacies on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. (online).
During Women's History Month, we speak with authors creating new truths through storytelling and putting women at the center of literature. Natashia Deón is a two-time NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literature, Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award Nominee in Fiction, a practicing criminal attorney, and author of the critically acclaimed and widely reviewed novels, The Perishing and GRACE. Toni Ann Johnson is the winner of the 2021 Flannery O'Connor Award for short fiction with her linked collection Light Skin Gone to Waste. Malia Márquez is a teacher and author of work that has appeared in Poetry Magazine, Hobart, Coffin Bell Journal, and elsewhere and of her award-winning first novel, This Fierce Blood. Laura Warrell is a writer and teacher whose work has appeared in HuffPost, The Rumpus, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications. Her first novel is Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm. This online event will take place on the City of West Hollywood's WeHo Arts YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehoarts. Members of the public can RSVP and be sent a direct link to view the event by visiting the WeHo Reads webpage on the City's website at www.weho.org/wehoreads.
WeHo Reads: Lounging with Poets on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 'spa day', 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. program (in-person).
Self-care is a radical act. Come lounge with a poet at our inaugural Poetry Spa Day at the respite deck of the new West Hollywood Aquatic and Recreation Center. From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., guests will receive a menu of services and tokens to have individual, one-on-one experiences with former West Hollywood Poet Laureates and special guests, ranging from cucumber poetry facials to poetry speed dating. At 7:30 p.m., we gather at the steps at sunset to hear all the poets share their words in a ritual closing and celebration of National Poetry Month. City of West Hollywood Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace emcees this event, and will be joined by Jen Cheng, Kim Dower, Charles Flowers, Linda Ravenswood, and Steven Reigns. This in-person event takes place at the Respite Deck of the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC), located at 8750 El Tovar Place, next to the West Hollywood Library. RSVPs are requested ay www.weho.org/wehoreads.
WeHo Reads: Shaping Motherhood online on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 7 p.m. (online).
We consider motherhood–joys, hardships, challenges, graces–and the role they play in shaping ourselves and future generations. Amber Flame is an interdisciplinary creative, activist and educator whose work has garnered residencies with Hedgebrook, Vermont Studio Center, and more. Gerda Govine Ituarte, Ed.D., poet, art curator, columnist, and CEO of G. Govine Consulting, was born in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and emigrated to New York City in the mid 50's and California in the early '80s. Luivette Resto is a mother, teacher, poet, and Wonder Woman fan who was born in Puerto Rico but proudly raised in the Bronx. Carla Sameth, 2022-2024 Altadena co-poet laureate, is the author of the memoir One Day on the Gold Line and the poetry chapbook, What Is Left, and teaches creative writing to a variety of ages. Colette Sartor's linked short story collection, Once Removed, won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, the NYC Big Book Award for Short Story Collections, and the Juror's Choice Award, and the Short Stories Award from the National Indie Excellence Awards. This online event will take place on the City of West Hollywood's WeHo Arts YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehoarts. Members of the public can RSVP and be sent a direct link to view the event by visiting the WeHo Reads webpage on the City's website at www.weho.org/wehoreads.
All events are free to attend. For additional information about these events and to RSVP, visit www.weho.org/wehoreads.
WeHo Reads is the City of West Hollywood's literary series presenting authors of interest to the West Hollywood community since 2013. Past participants have included: André Aciman, Andrew Rannells, Arlene and Alan Alda, Armistead Maupin, Bianca Del Rio, Bryan Fuller, Carrie Brownstein, Charles Phoenix, Charles Yu, Chris Kraus, Danez Smith, Dasha Kelly Hamilton, David Ulin, Eileen Myles, Eloise Klein Healy, Emma Donoghue, Erwin Chemerinsky, Henry Rollins, Imani Tolliver, Jacob Tobia, James Sie, Lester Graves Lennon, Josephine Giles, LeVar Burton, Lillian Faderman, Lloyd Schwartz, Lorna Luft, Luis J. Rodriguez, Lynell George, Lynne Thompson, Michael York, Michelle Visage, Myriam Gurba, Natalie Goldberg, Natasha Deón, Nina Revoyr, Patrisse Cullors, Patt Morrison, Peter J. Harris, Randa Jarrar, Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco, Ryan Gosling, Ryka Aoki, Sarah Silverman, Seymour Stein, Shonda Buchanan, Stephen Chbosky, Tananarive Due, and Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim.
BookSwell, a literary events and media company dedicated to lifting up writers from historically excluded communities, is producing the WeHo Reads 2023 season. BookSwell was founded in 2017 by Cody Sisco.
For more information about WeHo Reads, please contact Mike Che, City of West Hollywood Arts Coordinator, at (323) 848-6377 or at [email protected]. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
As Part of the 'Moving Image Media Art' Exhibition Series, The City of West Hollywood Presents: Kassaram (Adapted) by Artist Thania Petersen and Reverse Women by Artist Sarah Rara On the Sunset Strip from February 1 through May 31
The City of West Hollywood announces the debuts of the next exhibitions in the Moving Image Media Art (MIMA) program. MIMA is an ongoing exhibition series of moving image media artworks on multiple digital billboards at various locations along Sunset Boulevard. The goals of the MIMA Program are to foster cultural equity, expand accessibility, inspire communication, create public space, and enhance the human experience of the Sunset Strip.
Kassaram (Adapted), a short film from artist Thania Petersen, will debut at the Streamlined Arbor billboard, located at 9157 Sunset Boulevard, and will air at the top of every hour for 10-and-a-half minutes. Reverse Women, a short film from artist Sarah Rara, will debut at the Invisible Frame billboard, located at 8743 Sunset Boulevard, and will air at the top of every hour and 30 minutes past each hour. Both works will be on exhibition from Wednesday, February 1, 2023 through Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
About Kassaram (Adapted) – The historically significant building that sits at the base of the Streamlined Arbor inspires artwork as an authentic reexamination of cultural identity, by amplifying the voices of those silenced and marginalized. Thania Petersen's vivid and layered work, Kassaram (Adapted) examines how embedded clichés devalue culture and provide the framework for the permission of subjugation. Across a timeline of slurs and stereotypes, nuanced imagery devolves into more familiar scenes of chaos. Petersen subverts the narrative by illustrating how structural racism serves to further isolate, diminish, and dehumanize.
Thania Petersen is a South African multidisciplinary artist who addresses the intricacies and complexities of identity. Petersen's work has been presented at such institutions as Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), Whitechapel, Istanbul Modern, Ballroom Marfa, Alte Kelter Fellbach, and Jeffrey Deitch. Her work is collected by the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C.; Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town; IZIKO South African Museum, Cape Town; Pérez Art Museum, Miami; and many others.
About Reverse Women – Images of running women advance backwards in slow motion, as if the ground is being pulled out from under them, evoking unsettling allegories of agency, power, and progress. In Reverse Women the gesture of running is pivotal and intentionally ambiguous, seen both as a sign of practiced liberation, wellness, resilience; yet infused with suspense by the discomfort of watching someone struggle to escape. Reverse Women ultimately illustrates the disorientation of our unreliable and faltering constitutional protections.
Sarah Rara's multi-disciplinary practice explores the position of witness within fragile systems. Rara is a contributing member of the ongoing project Lucky Dragons (with Luke Fischbeck). Their work, solo and in collaboration, has been presented at such institutions as the Hammer Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Centre Georges Pompidou, Walker Art Center, London's Institute for Contemporary Art, PS1 in New York, REDCAT, LACMA and MOCA in Los Angeles, among others. Rara is a 2018 recipient of the LACMA Art + Technology fellowship and holds an Assistant Professor of Moving Image at Williams College.
The Moving Image Media Art Program (MIMA) is a City of West Hollywood exhibition series administered by the City's Arts Division, as part of its Art on the Outside Program, and is presented with the Sunset Arts and Advertising Program. MIMA offers artists the opportunity, and the funding, to create immediate, remarkable, and ambitious works of art that engage with the unique visual landscape of the world-famous Sunset Strip, and experiment with the state-of-the-art technology of high-definition digital signage.
MIMA enables artists to occupy, contest, and play with the boundaries and uses of public space and manifest moments of connection and awe. Artists exhibited in the program are selected from the MIMA Prequalified List, a rolling, open-call for moving image media artists, curators, and non-profit arts organizations, with applications reviewed bi-annually by the City of West Hollywood's Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, in May and November. The MIMA Prequalified List includes a diverse list of artists of all career levels; from emerging to internationally recognized: www.weho.org/community/arts-and-culture/visual-arts/mima
The City of West Hollywood's Arts Division delivers a broad array of arts programs including Art on the Outside (temporary public art), Arts Grants, City Poet Laureate, Free Theatre in the Parks, Human Rights Speaker Series, Library Exhibits, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, Summer Sounds + Winter Sounds, Urban Art (permanent public art), and WeHo Reads. For more information about City of West Hollywood arts programming, please visit www.weho.org/arts.
For more information about MIMA, please contact Rebecca Ehemann, City of West Hollywood Arts Manager at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6846. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City is Implementing a New Organics Collection Program in Compliance with SB 1383, a Statewide Effort to Reduce Emissions of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants
The City of West Hollywood is implementing a new organics collection program in compliance with SB 1383, a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) by reducing organic waste disposal.
Under SB 1383, community members throughout California will be required to place all food scraps, food-soiled paper (100% fiber-based), and landscaping waste into a green waste container. Athens Services, which provides waste collection and recycling services for the City of West Hollywood, is implementing food scrap collection, which applies to all customers including single-family-home residents, multifamily buildings, and commercial customers in West Hollywood.
To assist community members in collection of food scraps, the City of West Hollywood and Athens Services will be hosting two events on Saturday, January 28, 2023 to provide free kitchen pails. From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., there will be a Kitchen Pail Giveaway at West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard, and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a Kitchen Pail Giveaway at Plummer Park, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard. West Hollywood community members are eligible for one free kitchen pail, limited to one per household or commercial customer.
"West Hollywood has long been a leader in green policies and practices. I'm excited to see our city develop this new program in adherence to SB 1383 to help collect organic waste and, ultimately, turn food scraps into soil compost," said City of West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne. "Community-based efforts to reduce waste and emissions are essential in our greater efforts in combating climate change."
West Hollywood residents in single-family homes and multifamily buildings must, under SB 1383, separate food scraps, food-soiled paper (100% fiber-based), and landscaping waste into green waste containers. SB 1383 establishes statewide targets to achieve a 75% reduction of organic waste disposal from 2014 levels by the year 2025.
With its new organics collection program, Athens Services will accept all types of food scraps. Its American Organics compost facility converts organics waste into nutrient-rich soil amendment. The resulting compost is used by commercial farmers, projects, garden shops, landscapers, and residents.
The Athens Services outreach team is currently in West Hollywood visiting customers, including those in multifamily and commercial buildings, to ensure they are set-up for the new organics recycling program. Many buildings in West Hollywood already have a green Athens organics bin and in such cases the Athens Services outreach team is educating and informing building management that food scraps must now be put in those bins.
For Athens Services customers who do not yet have a green bin, the Athens Services outreach team is working to get them set-up. Additionally, Athens Services will provide a kitchen pail to any customer in West Hollywood who requests one. The outreach team has found that for residents of multifamily buildings, kitchen pails make it much easier to collect food scraps and then empty them into green Athens bins situated at their property.
To contact Athens Services to make a request, or for community members who may have questions about the new organics collection program, please contact the Athens Customer Care Center at (888) 336-6100 or visit www.athensservices.com/sb-1383.
To learn more about acceptable items for organics collection, including types of green waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper that Athens Services collects, visit www.athensservices.com/in-the-news/food-waste-recycling. For a complete recycling guide, visit www.athensservices.com/recycling-guide. For more information about SB 1383, visit www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/slcp.
In the spirit of "think globally, act locally," the City of West Hollywood aims to inspire sustainability and eco-conscious programs, projects, and policies. In December 2021, the City adopted its people-centered Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) to guide the implementation of the climate measures and actions and will help to ensure that West Hollywood is a sustainable, vibrant, livable, and equitable city for current and future generations. To find out more, visit www.weho.org/climateaction. For additional information about the City's ongoing sustainability efforts, visit www.weho.org/gogreen.
For more information, please contact Matt Magener, City of West Hollywood Environmental Programs Coordinator, at (323) 848-6894 or at [email protected]. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
For more information, please call the City of West Hollywood's City Council Offices at (323) 848-6460. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City's calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar.
Sips with Sepi is a monthly event that takes place at various coffee shops throughout the City of West Hollywood
Special to the LA Blade
West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne and others gather for coffee (Photo Credit: WeHo Times)
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – Outgoing West Hollywood Rent Stabilization Commissioners, Richard Maggio and Historic Preservation Commissioner Lola Davidson hosted this month's Sips with Sepi, as part of a monthly meet and greet with West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne.
The event took place in WeHo's eastside, at the Domain's lobby, located at 4171 Santa Monica Boulevard this past Saturday.
Breakfast Republic provided pastry treats and the coffee came from the local Starbucks nearby in the West Hollywood Gateway.
Community members and residents of The Domain had an opportunity to chat with the Mayor and ask questions, or raise concerns about issues important to them in the city.
Outgoing West Hollywood Rent Stabilization Commissioners, Richard Maggio and Historic Preservation Commissioner Lola Davidson hosted this month's Sips with Sepi, as part of a monthly meet and greet with West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne. The event took place in WeHo's eastside, at the Domain's lobby, located at 4171 Santa Monica Boulevard from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Photo Credit: WeHo Times
Captain Moulder of the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station was in attendance, along with Danny Rivas, the City of West Hollywood's Director of Community Safety, and Shae Gibson the Block by Block Operations Manager. Various members of boards and West Hollywood Commissions also attended the meet and greet over sips with Sepi.
Maggio and Davidson were both appointed by former West Hollywood council member and Mayor John D'Amico. They finish their terms as West Hollywood commissioners on January 28, 2023.
Sips with Sepi is a monthly event that takes place at various coffee shops throughout the City of West Hollywood. This is an effort for the Mayor to be accessible and transparent to the community she serves with the hopes to engage West Hollywood residents with the Mayor and City Staff.
Mayor Pro Tempore John Erickson hosted a similar event that Saturday at Plummer Park. "Have an issue?" Reads his events invite on social media. "Need to get connected to services? Just want to chat with your Councilmember? This is our eighteenth event in Plummer Park and I'm looking forward to you all joining us! Bring a chair, a reusable cup for some coffee, and your dog (or cat), and let's talk! Come out to the Great Lawn (along Vista St.) at Plummer Park and meet and speak with West Hollywood Councilmember John M. Erickson. Can't make this event? Email John at [email protected]"
Mayor Shyne can be found on Instagram under the handle @sepishyine.
Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist.
The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
Mayor Shyne was reelected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 2022. She made history as the first Iranian American to serve on the Council
Photo by Paulo Murillo
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – At the city of West Hollywood's annual City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting on Monday, January 9, 2023, the City swore-in Sepi Shyne as Mayor and John M. Erickson as Mayor Pro Tempore.
Mayor Shyne's Oath of Office was administered by Lindsey P. Horvath, 3rd District Supervisor for Los Angeles County and former City of West Hollywood Mayor and Councilmember. Mayor Pro Tempore Erickson's Oath of Office was administered by Abbe Land, former City of West Hollywood Mayor and Councilmember.
Mayor Shyne was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 2022. She made history as the first Iranian American to serve on the Council, the first woman of color to serve, and the first out LGBTQ Iranian elected to public office in the world.
It was a packed house at the West Hollywood council chambers despite pouring rain and flash flood warnings throughout Los Angeles County. Richard Maggio, a West Hollywood resident who served as a rent WeHo stabilization commissioner for 33 years, was the emcee for the ceremony before the Reorganization and Installation meeting. The pre-ceremony invited several friends, supporters, community leader and members of her family to speak and give some words of encouragement to the new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
The Mayor's mother opened the ceremony with comments in her native Fārsī language. There were performances by the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles and singer, song writer Mikalah Gordon. And she received interfaith invocations by spiritual leaders and supporters, including her sister.
Mayor Meister called the Regular City meeting to order. Following the City's Land Acknowledgement, she introduced Tina Calderón, a Gabrieliño Tongva / Chumash Culture Bearer who helped draft the City's Land Acknowledgement. She performed a song that her culture offers all of their women when they achieve something tremendous. The song sent a message stating "We are women. We Are strong."
Mayor Pro Tem Erickson thank everyone who showed up to the ceremony, despite the rain, calling the event "a moment in our city's history with the first ever woman of color to be sworn in as mayor."
Additional photos available here: (Link)
The event will take place at 6 p.m. at the City's Council Chambers at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard
Graphic via City of West Hollywood
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – The City of West Hollywood will Swear-In Sepi Shyne as Mayor and John M. Erickson as Mayor Pro Tempore on January 9, 2022 as part of of the City Council Reorganization and Installation Meeting and Oath of Office Ceremony.
The event will take place at 6 p.m. at the City's Council Chambers at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. [Click Here for Digital Invitation]
At its regular meeting on Monday, December 19, 2022, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood voted upon selection of the City's next Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore: Sepi Shyne will become the next Mayor and John M. Erickson will become the next Mayor Pro Tempore.
Incoming Mayor Shyne and Incoming Mayor Pro Tempore Erickson will be sworn-in at the City of West Hollywood's annual City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting and oath of office ceremony, which will take place on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6 p.m. at the City's Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. A reception will immediately follow at the Pacific Design Center, located at 8687 Melrose Avenue.
The meeting, ceremony, and reception are free and open to the public. Limited validated parking will be available at the West Hollywood Park five-story structure; additional validated overflow parking will be available at the Pacific Design Center.
The meeting and ceremony will be live-broadcast and streamed as part of the regular City Council meeting and will be available by tuning into Channel 10 on Spectrum within West Hollywood, by visiting the City of West Hollywood's website at www.weho.org/wehotv, or by visiting the City's WeHoTV YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv.
In addition, City Council meetings can also be viewed on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku streaming platforms by searching "WeHoTV" within the search functions of these services.
Biographical:
Sepi Shyne made history in November 2020 when she was elected to the West Hollywood City Council. She became the first out LGBTQ Iranian elected anywhere globally and locally became the first woman of color elected to the West Hollywood City Council. Her election also ushered in West Hollywood's first female-majority City Council. Shyne's priorities include advocating for affordable housing, protecting renters and social service programs, social justice, small business revival, and bringing the people's voices to West Hollywood City Hall.
Shyne received her Bachelor of Science from San Jose State University with a double concentration in Accounting and Management Information Systems and a Minor in Drama with an emphasis in Directing. She received her Juris Doctorate with a specialization certificate in litigation from Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco.
As an LGBTQ+ and civil rights leader for more than 20 years, her leadership has helped secure equal rights for all. Before her election to the West Hollywood City Council, Shyne served on the City of West Hollywood's Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board (now LGBTQ+ Advisory Board), on the City of West Hollywood's Business License Commission, and on the Los Angeles County Assessor's Advisory Council, on which she continues to serve. Additionally, she has led many boards and organizations, including the LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles and as a Board of Governor and Steering Committee leader with the Human Rights Campaign Los Angeles.
Shyne is a Co-Organizer of WeHo Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a community group created during the pandemic to help get resources to seniors, people with disabilities, and people in immunosuppressed households via social media and volunteer check-in calls. In every board and organization she has led, she has recruited and elevated women and people of color to leadership positions to create more diversity, inclusion, and equity.
John M. Erickson was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 3, 2020 with the commitment to uphold the city's founding vision for a forward-thinking, diverse, and tolerant community.
Erickson first planted roots in West Hollywood in 2010 when he was selected to intern for the West Hollywood City Council. The internship set him on a path that connected his work for social and economic justice with his passion for public service. He went on to become Council Deputy to former Mayor Abbe Land and then served as a staff member at West Hollywood City Hall working to advance policies, initiate programs, and increase awareness around LGBTQ+ rights, women's rights, the environment, and civic engagement.
After leaving City Hall, Erickson served as a Legislative Representative at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) and is currently the Interim Vice President of Public Affairs, Communications, and Marketing at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.
The immediate past Vice Chair of the City's Planning Commission, Erickson's priorities on the City Council include overcoming COVID-19 through sensible health practices and economic recovery; creating more affordable housing and protecting renters' rights; reducing traffic through alternative transportation strategies, fighting climate change and making our city more sustainable; and implementing policies that make the city truly free of prejudice and welcoming to all.
Erickson has earned a reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and effective voice for those who need one. His advocacy work includes serving as a National Board Member of the National Organization for Women and President of the ACLU Southern California. In 2017, he became Governor Brown's appointee to the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and served as an organizer for both the Resist March and the historic Women's March Los Angeles. He serves on the Board of the Women's March Los Angeles Foundation. Erickson was part of the End Statute of Limitation on Rape (ERSOL) Campaign, which overturned California's statute of limitations on rape and sexual assault in 2016.
Erickson received his Ph.D. in American Religious History from Claremont Graduate University and a Dual-Master's Degree from Claremont Graduate University. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a B.A. in English and Women's Studies.
Parisa Parnian was selected by incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne to provide an original artwork for the City of West Hollywood's 2023 City Council Reorganization and Installation event invitation.
"The Phoenix bird represents incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne both as a symbol of her 'rising out of the ashes' and taking flight, as well as a nod to her Iranian heritage: the Phoenix bird is part of Persian mythology. The background of sparkly palm trees silhouetted by the sun references the iconic West Hollywood skyline. And the collective of raised fists represents not only the City of West Hollywood's history of inclusivity and progressiveness, but also incoming Mayor Shyne's commitment to equity and advocacy for the community she serves," Parnian said in a statement.
The West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has compiled a list of things to do and places to be to celebrate this year's New Year's Eve
Disco Balls from Micky's WeHo - WEHO TIMES
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – The West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has compiled a list of things to do and places to be to celebrate this year's New Year's Eve in West Hollywood. Check the list and click on the links for more info:
THE 1 HOTEL- HARRIET'S ROOFTOP
West Hollywood hasn't seen a sky-high lounge like Harriet's Rooftop at the 1 Hotel West Hollywood. Its panoramic view is the star of the show; and this New Year's Eve we take it to the next level with a live DJ spinning dynamic mashups. With the shimmering backdrop of the Los Angeles skyline as the backdrop, the city's glitterati will dance and mingle, helping themselves to a five-hour premium open bar. Pick up a VIP package for luxuries such as bottle service and reserved seating. From the extensive greenery that fills the penthouse to the shimmering string lights, Harriet's Rooftop is nothing less than majestic! Join us this NYE to countdown the clock to 2023 and set the new year ablaze
jbpnye.cravetickets.com
NYE 2023 WITH TY$ AT NIGHTINGALE PLAZA
Celebrate New Year's Eve in West Hollywood with DJ Orator and Dre Sinatra plus Hip-Hop superstar Ty Dolla $ign at Nightingale Plaza. This NYE, experience the best Hip-Hop party in L.A. at this trendy nightspot with both cash bar and open bar, luxe decor, and a gorgeous, fashionable 21+ crowd. Come dressed to kill as you leave 2022 behind and enter the new year surrounded by a gorgeous crowd in West Hollywood's luxe party epicenter.
2023 BOOTSY BELLOWS NYE
Offering up one of the best New Year's Eve events on the infamous Sunset Strip is Bootsy Bellows. No matter the night, Bootsy is always populated by chic partygoers, influencers, and, of course, celebrities A-Z. And this NYE will be no different. The West Hollywood super-hot night spot is putting on a party to remember; brimming with amenities like a 5hr premium open bar, complimentary champagne toast at midnight, and a special live DJ spinning the hottest Top 40, Hip-Hop, House, and Mash-Up tracks to keep the party charged well into the new year. For a taste of LA's premier celeb-studded nightlife action, look no further than Bootsy Bellows — Hollywood's hottest ticket to the good life. It's going to be a wild NYE at this cherry LA party pad.
2023 DRAGONFLY HOLLYWOOD NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY
Join the city's in-the-know party people at super-hot L.A Hip-Hop nightlife spot, Dragonfly Hollywood, for an electrifying NYE party. A fired-hour premium bar keeps the party fueled and a special live DJ- with the help of the state-of-the-art sound system- presides over the dance floor with sizzling sets of Hip-Hop, Top 40, Reggaeton, and everything in between. When 12 o'clock rolls around, grab a complimentary champagne and join the 'in-crowd' for a live DJ-led countdown. For a taste of the high life, opt for a VIP package with exclusive table and bottle service, reserved seating, and expedited entry
POPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY 2023
Poppy opens its exclusive doors this New Year's Eve for a megawatt celebration that LA will be buzzing about. The NYE party at Poppy gains momentum from a 5-hour premium open bar pouring up hand-crafted cocktails, bubbles, and brews. Guests can dance all night to live DJs spinning the hottest open format top 40, hip-hop, and house music. Before the stroke of midnight, raise a glass of complimentary champagne and join the DJ in a live countdown to the new year. To party like Hollywood royalty, choose from a selection of VIP packages offering priority entry, reserved seating, and bottle service.
THE DEN ON SUNSET
It's that time of year again! Come pop bottles all night long on NYE at The Den. DJ Space will be spinning and The Den has all kinds of tables to reserve, including some very luxe options. Dinner specials will run late, champagne will be flowing, and the dance floor will be a party.
Tickets available on their website.
NYE 2023 Tickets | The Den On Sunset | American Restaurant & Bar in West Hollywood, CA
Celebrate an unforgettable night at La Boheme x French Tuesdays official NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY! Featuring live performances with aerialists, burlesque dancers, DJs, and more! We will be offering a special NYE dinner for $85 per person.
New Year's Eve Cabaret by French Tuesdays (General Admission Tickets) Tickets, Sat, Dec 31, 2022 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite
BOA STEAKHOUSE & KATANA
Let the countdown begin! BOA and Katana have created a special Prix Fixe Menu to ring in the new year paired with live music, party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight.
Home | IDG (innovativedining.com)
Dance the night away this New Year's Eve at Employees Only featuring sounds by DJ Veggi Beats🍸💎 Join Employees Only + ring in 2023 EO style with a 5 hour premium open bar, tray passed hors d'oeuvres, photo booth, and a midnight toast.
Ring in the new year with Soulmate's Tapas & Speakeasy! Early and late seatings include a handcrafted, 4-5 course tapas menu with some of Soulmate's most popular dishes and some new and exciting things to try. Later seatings also include a champagne toast, live DJs spinning some great music, and a balloon drop at midnight. Experience our extensive cocktail list with choices for every palate, or indulge in a bottle of bubbly to say goodbye to 2022!
NYE 2022 | My Site (soulmateweho.com)
THE ABBEY
Ring in the new year properly! Book your tables today for The Abbey's Black & Gold Midnight Soiré!
Gay Bar | The Abbey Food & Bar – West Hollywood | West Hollywood (theabbeyweho.com)
E.P & L.P.
E.P. & L.P. invites you to join them for their two-level New Year's Eve Discotheque, which will take over both levels of E.P. & L.P. for the very first time.
All-inclusive tickets are $75 per person, which includes two hours of open bar and passed appetizers between 8-10 PM. DJ's will be playing all night to bring in the new year with bottle service packages available for groups. Come dance all the way into 2023.
NEW YEARS EVE DISCOTHEQUE Tickets at E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood by E.P. & L.P. | Tixr
SKYBAR AT MONDRIAN
Join Sky Bar as they elegantly ring in 2023 in extravagant fashion. Wear your classiest cocktail attire and come celebrate the new year over delectable cocktails, the taste-making sounds of DJ Eric Sharp, original art installations, and of course, the breathtaking backdrop of one of Los Angeles' premier venues.
NYE 2023 at Skybar at Mondrian [4-Hour Premium Open Bar] Tickets, Sat, Dec 31, 2022 at 8:00 PM | Eventbrite
PETIT ERMITAGE
Ring in the new year at Petit Ermitage. Book a suite through the weekend to enjoy dinner and drinks for two on New Year's Eve. Starting over feels good.
Petit Ermitage | Holidays in Los Angeles
MICKY'S
Welcome the new year at Micky's Weho! Get Ready for a festive Eve on Saturday December 31st, where we'll dance the night away till 4 AM on two floors! Featuring: 2 Dance Floors | 2 Live DJ Sets | Go Go Dancers | Party till 4 AM.
Micky's NYE – Saturday Dec 31st – Micky's West Hollywood (mickys.com).
ARTLOUNGE COLLECTIVE
Our New Years Eve party, highlight '23, is an all-inclusive night of performance, music, and art at our La Brea location. Tickets include all-night access to the event with live performances from local poets hosted by City of West Hollywood Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace, a comedy hour with headliner Jamie Loftus, featuring Audrey Stewart and host Valerie Tosi, a live musical performance from Long Beach indie-pop band Tetra Collective, and Vinyl DJ, Fernando Aguilar.
THE WEST HOLLYWOOD EDITION ROOFTOP
Perched on the 14th floor of The West Hollywood EDITION, The Roof offers sprawling views of the city skyline; a perfect backdrop as the sky lights up with fireworks at the stroke of midnight.
All guests will enjoy a selection of passed canapés by Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser, a decadent dessert station, an open bar, a DJ set, and a champagne toast at midnight.
New Year's Eve at The Roof – Reception – The West Hollywood EDITION – West Hollywood, CA | Tock | Tock (exploretock.com).
STACHE WEST HOLLYWOOD
Let's ELEVATE our minds, our hearts, and our lives in 2023! Looking for something different to do in Weho this New Year's Eve? Join us for an elevated Stache experience. Champagne for the table, followed by a curated NYE Stache dinner where you choose your starter and your main course from a prix fixe menu. Add on indulgences like dessert and an absinthe ritual to complete your dining experience.
Live immersive entertainment elements throughout the night will lead the crowd to an uproarious live countdown and toast to the new year with a complimentary glass of champagne and party favors. Dance the night away with a live DJ playing an open format of pop remixes and top 40 hip-hop hits.
ELEVATE | Stache West Hollywood New Years Eve 2023 Tickets, Sat, Dec 31, 2022 at 8:00 PM | Eventbrite
MEROIS
Join Merois for New Year's Eve with a special Prefix Menu and celebrate with a Toast at Midnight and Live Music! This event will be $350 per person and bottle service will be available.
The $350 cost is paid at time of booking, includes tax but not gratuity or beverages. Merois does not offer refunds for special events.
Merois | Offers (sevenrooms.com)
For NYE, Conservatory will be hosting a Great Gatsby themed soirée for $125 per person, guests will enjoy a DJ, Cabaret Dancers, a bubbly toast at midnight, interactive food and beverage stations, a champagne room in Society Room and many more surprises. From 8pm to 1am, cocktail or Great Gatsby attire is requested. And don't forget about New Year's Day hangover brunch!
Book Your NYE Gatsby Soiree! Event With Conservatory on Resy
THE CLASSIC CAT
Celebrate NEW YEAR'S EVE 2023 at The Classic Cat! Join them for their NYE Dinner, Nightlife and Midnight Champagne Toast!
Enjoy the chef curated New Year's Eve 4-course dinner and ring in the New Year with Bottle Service!
For Reservations email: [email protected]
The Classic Cat (theclassiccatla.com)
City swear-In Sepi Shyne as Mayor & John M. Erickson as Mayor Pro Tempore, Fire Safety in Holiday Season, End-of-Year Trash & Recycling Info
City of West Hollywood to Swear-In Sepi Shyne as Mayor and John M. Erickson as Mayor Pro Tempore on January 9
WEST HOLLYWOOD – At its regular meeting on Monday, December 19, 2022, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood voted upon selection of the City's next Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore: Sepi Shyne will become the next Mayor and John M. Erickson will become the next Mayor Pro Tempore.
The meeting and ceremony will be live-broadcast and streamed as part of the regular City Council meeting and will be available by tuning into Channel 10 on Spectrum within West Hollywood, by visiting the City of West Hollywood's website at www.weho.org/wehotv, or by visiting the City's WeHoTV YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv. In addition, City Council meetings can also be viewed on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku streaming platforms by searching "WeHoTV" within the search functions of these services.
About Incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne – Sepi Shyne made history in November 2020 when she was elected to the West Hollywood City Council. She became the first out LGBTQ Iranian elected anywhere globally and locally became the first woman of color elected to the West Hollywood City Council. Her election also ushered in West Hollywood's first female-majority City Council. Shyne's priorities include advocating for affordable housing, protecting renters and social service programs, social justice, small business revival, and bringing the people's voices to West Hollywood City Hall.
About Incoming Mayor Pro Tempore John M. Erickson – John M. Erickson was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 3, 2020 with the commitment to uphold the city's founding vision for a forward-thinking, diverse, and tolerant community.
Parisa Parnian was selected by Incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne to provide an original artwork for the City of West Hollywood's 2023 City Council Reorganization and Installation event invitation. Artist Statement: "The Phoenix bird represents Incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne both as a symbol of her 'rising out of the ashes' and taking flight, as well as a nod to her Iranian heritage: the Phoenix bird is part of Persian mythology. The background of sparkly palm trees silhouetted by the sun references the iconic West Hollywood skyline. And the collective of raised fists represents not only the City of West Hollywood's history of inclusivity and progressiveness, but also Incoming Mayor Shyne's commitment to equity and advocacy for the community she serves."
City Swears-In Three Newly Elected Members to the West Hollywood City Council
The City of West Hollywood has sworn-in three newly elected members to the West Hollywood City Council: Lauren Meister, Chelsea Lee Byers, and John Heilman. Each Councilmember took an oath of office during the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of West Hollywood on Monday, December 19, 2022. The meeting is available for viewing on the City's website at www.weho.org/wehotv and on the City's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv.
During the meeting, the City Council voted upon selection of the City of West Hollywood's next Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore: Sepi Shyne will become the next Mayor and John M. Erickson will become the next Mayor Pro Tempore. They will each take an oath of office at the City's City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting and ceremony on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6 p.m.
About Lauren Meister – After nearly two decades as a neighborhood advocate, Lauren Meister was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on March 3, 2015; re-elected for her second term on March 5, 2019; and re-elected for her third term on November 8, 2022. She is the City of West Hollywood's current outgoing Mayor.
Since being elected, Meister has worked on initiatives to strengthen the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, develop more neighborhood-friendly planning and land use policies, provide social services for people who are homeless, create a Small Business Task Force, establish West Hollywood as a safe haven for LGBTQ asylum seekers, increase community engagement and transparency, implement a Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Program, educate the public on safety issues related to children and pets, embrace and promote our historic resources and, raise the bar on design standards, environmental programs, and sustainability.
In her first term as mayor (April 2016-May 2017), she joined with mayors from across the nation to show support for preserving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and protecting immigrant and refugee communities.
Among Meister's priorities are:
Initiating and supporting policies to save our affordable housing stock and local neighborhood serving businesses;
Prioritizing public safety, social services, and housing production to reflect the needs of our community;
Preserving our city's rich history and unique character;
Protecting and enhancing parks and green space; and
Advocating for safe mobility options and fair parking policies.
Prior to her election in 2015, Meister became involved with the City of West Hollywood as a neighborhood watch captain, took the LASD Community Emergency Response Team "CERT" training, and attended the West Hollywood Sheriff's Community Academy. She went on to lead the largest neighborhood association in the city, representing residents on issues such as public safety, traffic circulation, parking, and development.
She served on numerous commissions and committees for the City of West Hollywood, including the Planning Commission and Public Safety Commission. She worked to mitigate traffic and parking impacts of new and proposed projects in the City, supported creative parking solutions to help neighborhood businesses, initiated the City's "Live, Work, Play, Be Safe" educational campaign, and supported new ideas to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety. She also worked on campaign finance reform and has been a strong advocate for a stricter code of ethics.
At the request of former Congressmember Henry Waxman, Meister testified before Congress in support of health insurance regulation and universal health care, and she worked with City of Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Koretz to reduce helicopter noise in residential neighborhoods.
In 2013, she served as Chair of the successful "Yes on Measure C" Term Limits for West Hollywood committee, limiting all Council members elected on or after March 2013 to no more than three full or partial terms on the City Council.
Professionally, Meister is the sole proprietor of her own marketing research firm based in West Hollywood. She has a bachelor's degree in Sociology, a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration, and a master's degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Emergency Services Management.
A resident of West Hollywood for more than 30 years, Meister has been both a renter and a homeowner in the City. Her parents, sister, and rescue dogs, Suki and Sammy, also call West Hollywood home.
About Chelsea Lee Byers – Chelsea Lee Byers was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 8, 2022. Byers first became connected to the City of West Hollywood through the Women's Leadership Conference. This connection led to many program partnerships with the City, including Women Manifest (2016), the Cannabis Education Forum (2015-2018), collaborative film screenings, panels, and more.
While working with United Way's Everyone In campaign, Byers engaged with the City's Social Services Division and Strategic Initiatives Division to bring educational programming to the community on homelessness and housing solutions. She currently works as Director of Programs and Partnership with Women's Voices Now and is a core team member with Beautiful Trouble.
The immediate past Vice Chair of the City's Human Services Commission, Byers' priorities on the City Council include social service delivery, climate-change mitigation strategies, and emergency resiliency efforts, creating more affordable housing and resources for renters, enhancing the streetscape for improved pedestrian and cycling experiences while reducing vehicle-dependency, and community building and policy implementation to ensure West Hollywood is an inclusive community for all.
She serves on the Board of Directors for National Women's Political Caucus as the Vice President of Education and Training for NWPC California. She is a board member of Abundant Housing Los Angeles and President Emeritus of the Westside Young Democrats.
Byers has participated in a number of fellowships including the Housing Policy Leadership Institute, New Leaders Council, Art for LA Activate Program, National Council for Jewish Women's Advocacy Program, and the James Lawson Institute.
Byers studied at Universidad Internacional Cuernavaca, Franklin University Switzerland and received her B.A. in Political Science and Women's Studies from Northern Arizona University.
About John Heilman – John Heilman was active in the incorporation of the City of West Hollywood. He was elected to the City's first City Council in November 1984. He was chosen as the City's second Mayor in 1985. He also served as Mayor in 1990, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2006, and 2010. He was re-elected to the City Council in June 2015 and in November 2022 and is one of the longest-serving openly gay elected officials in the United States.
Since his earliest days on the City Council, one of Heilman's strongest concerns has been affordable housing. He was instrumental in the establishment of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, a City-funded organization that develops affordable housing in West Hollywood and the surrounding region. He also helped develop the City's landmark Rent Stabilization Ordinance. He helped create the City's inclusionary housing policy, which requires developers of new residential buildings to include housing for low and moderate-income residents.
Heilman drafted the City's landmark ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of HIV and AIDS. He received the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Award for his leadership on the issue of AIDS. He established the City's Senior Advisory Board and helped develop the City's Comprehensive Services Center at Plummer Park. He also established the City's Russian Advisory Board in an effort to integrate the City's Russian-speaking residents into the City's decision-making process, and he founded the City's Annual Women's Leadership Conference.
Heilman was instrumental in building West Hollywood Library, which was opened in 2011.
Heilman has worked closely with the West Hollywood business community. He was a founder of the West Hollywood Marketing and Visitors' Bureau now known as the West Hollywood Travel + Tourism Board/Visit West Hollywood. He helped establish the Sunset Strip Business Improvement District as well as the business improvement district which serves the City's Design District.
In his professional life, Heilman is a highly regarded law school professor. He is a professor at Southwestern Law School and an adjunct professor at USC Law School. In his private life, Heilman is an avid runner. He has run numerous marathons and half-marathons for charity.
About the City of West Hollywood – The City of West Hollywood is like no other city in the world. Located in the heart of metropolitan Los Angeles, the City was incorporated in 1984 by a unique collaboration of people including LGBTQ activists, seniors, and advocates for affordable housing. At only 1.9 square miles, West Hollywood is a robust economic and cultural center instilled with idealism, creativity, and innovation. A spirit of community activism and civic pride thrives in West Hollywood for many of its approximately 35,000 residents and the City has a strong progressive political voice.
West Hollywood works diligently to defend the fundamental rights of its community members including LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, seniors, people of color, immigrants, women, and others. The City is one of the most outspoken advocates anywhere for the legal rights of LGBTQ people; more than 40 percent of residents in West Hollywood identify as LGBTQ. The City also prides itself on being a safe space. Regardless of nationality or immigration status, the City of West Hollywood has a commitment to promoting social justice and equal rights.
West Hollywood to Ring in the New Year with Drug- and Alcohol-Free Event: VIBEZ: A Sober New Year Celebration
This New Year's Eve, join in the fun and celebrate the first moments of 2023 at VIBEZ: A Sober New Year Celebration, West Hollywood's premier alcohol- and drug-free New Year's Eve event. This year's celebration will bring hundreds of people together for a fabulous celebration and an alcohol-free midnight toast. The theme of this year's event is "Astrological Wellness" and there will be drag entertainment, dancing, and light refreshments as well as other fun wellness activities such as tarot and palm readings, psychics, star charting and more! The event will provide a safe space for sober people to celebrate New Year's Eve with others in recovery, away from the typical substance-heavy events and parties that mark the holiday.
The City of West Hollywood has co-sponsored a New Year's Eve event since 2014. VIBEZ is organized by the nonprofit organization, The Phoenix, and will take place on the evening of Saturday, December 31, 2022, starting at 9 p.m. and will run until 1 a.m. on Sunday, January 1, 2023 at Plummer Park's Fiesta Hall, located at 1200 N. Vista Street. There will be an All Recovery Meeting at 8 p.m. followed by the New Year's Eve celebration starting at 9 p.m.
VIBEZ is a free event. Attendees must be 18 or older to attend. Advance RSVP is encouraged, as Plummer Park's Fiesta Hall has limited capacity. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/2hvdd4cc. Attendees are encouraged to be respectful of the neighboring residential area when arriving and leaving the event. Limited parking is available in both the north (N. Vista Avenue entrance near Fountain Avenue) and south (Santa Monica Boulevard entrance) parking lots at Plummer Park.
For additional information about VIBEZ: A Sober New Year Celebration, please contact Andy Short at [email protected].
End-of-Year Trash and Recycling Information
The City's solid waste hauler, Athens Services, will not pick up of trash on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25, 2022 or on New Year's Day, Sunday, January 1, 2023. Sites that receive Sunday service will not be served. Service will resume on Monday, December 26, 2022.
Holiday trees are 100% recyclable. Athens Services will collect holiday trees on normal pickup days beginning on Monday, December 26, 2022 through Friday, January 6, 2023.
Tips to ensure collection of holiday tree: remove stands, ornaments, lights and tinsel; place holiday trees at the curb; trees over six feet in length must be cut in half; trees with flocking or fire retardants are acceptable; and please do not leave the tree in a plastic bag as the bag gets caught in the chipper blades.
Remember that gift boxes, wrapping paper, and other paper packaging can be recycled with regular paper and cardboard recycling. During the holidays, many people get rid of old electronics, as well. Residents should take old electronics to a collection center such as the UCLA S.A.F.E. Drop-Off Center or schedule an E-waste pickup with Athens Services. For details, please visit www.weho.org/city-government/city-departments/public-works/environmental-services/trash-and-recycling.
Bulky or large items, such as refrigerators, carpet, and wood, can be picked up at no charge to residents, limited to one or two items. Please call Athens Services directly to find out details and arrange for a pickup.
If you will be generating a larger amount of trash than typical and when trash and recycling bins or carts are full, do not place extra trash and recycling on the ground with bins and/or carts. Please contact Athens Services to schedule extra services to accommodate extra trash and recycling.
For more information, or to arrange for extra trash and recycling services, please contact Athens Services' Customer Service Office at (888) 336-6100.
Homeless Initiative Introduces New Mobile Health Clinic Services to the Community
The City of West Hollywood is partnering with UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative to bring UCLA's mobile healthcare clinic to West Hollywood on a regular basis to serve people experiencing homelessness in West Hollywood.
UCLA Health will host walk-up healthcare services on a monthly basis piloting services at West Hollywood Park on Monday, December 19, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Plummer Park on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 from 12 p.m, to 2:30 p.m. Services will be provided at no-cost by UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative, which includes doctors and nurses. The Homeless Healthcare Collaborative mobile team provides urgent care, wound care, medical screenings, preventive care, vaccinations, care for chronic medical conditions, and referrals to social service supports that benefit community members experiencing homelessness. Additional service dates will be announced after the pilot launches.
"We deeply appreciate the partnership with UCLA Health in bringing their innovative Homeless Healthcare Collaborative to West Hollywood. Through the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative, we are working to increase access to services and support that help people on the path back into housing. Making UCLA Health services available within the City makes it easier to get healthcare. We are proud to have UCLA Health join forces with the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative," said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister, who is also a member of the City Council Subcommittee on Homelessness.
According to UCLA Health, the stressors and barriers people face when experiencing homelessness lead to higher rates of chronic disease, social isolation, increased morbidity and mortality, fragmented service use, and poor primary care experiences. According to UCLA Health data, 85% of emergency department visits for people experiencing homelessness are due to primary- or urgent-care conditions that can be prevented or treated in the community.
By partnering with UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative, the City of West Hollywood is adding to existing innovative health services funded by the City's Social Services Grants Program to meet the needs of community members experiencing homelessness. Healthcare in Action provides on-call health services in the City's parks and public spaces and LA LGBT Center offers comprehensive, ongoing health services at their nearby clinic. The City's collaborative partnerships with Saban Community Clinic, and Cedars-Sinai continue as well. All told, the range of health resources available through these partners, along with the capacity to meet people both in the community and serve them ongoing at local clinics, advances health equity in the West Hollywood community.
Through the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative, in partnership with the community, and with funding support from LA County Measure H, in 2018 the City established the Five Year Plan to Address Homelessness in Our Community. The plan identifies seven goals – and key actions to reach these goals – this new partnership with UCLA Health further advances Goal #6: Strengthen partnerships with other cities and with nonprofit organizations to support regional and individualized solutions to homelessness.
Making progress toward the goals of West Hollywood's Five-Year Plan remains critically important in directing the local response to homelessness.
For more information about the Homeless Initiative, please contact Elizabeth Anderson, City of West Hollywood Strategic Initiatives Program Administrator, at (323) 848-6839 or [email protected].
West Hollywood Urges Community to be Mindful of Fire Safety this Holiday Season
The City of West Hollywood is reminding the community to stay safe this winter holiday season and follow winter holiday fire and personal safety tips from the City, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the LA County Fire Department.
The City of West Hollywood's Fire Safety Brochure offers the following tips and more to make your home fire-safe:
Install smoke alarms and test smoke alarms regularly.
Place one or more ABC rated fire extinguishers in your home.
Consider installing automatic fire sprinklers when possible.
Be extremely cautious using portable heaters and follow all instructions carefully.
Never smoke in bed.
Never leave candles burning unattended.
Do not overload electrical outlets or power strips.
FEMA provides a number of fire safety tips and outreach materials on its website, including general tips, info on electric vehicle charging, and for space heaters:
Keep anything that can burn, such as bedding, clothing, and curtains, at least 3 feet away from the heater.
Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it shuts off.
Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
Plug portable heaters directly into outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.
Have a qualified electrician install a new, dedicated circuit for your EV charging device. Older home wiring may not be suitable for use with EV supply equipment.
Cover the EV charging station outlet to stop water from entering. Check the manufacturer's guidelines to make sure it is safe to charge your EV in wet conditions.
Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns.
Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, or heat vents and water your tree daily. Also, make sure your tree does not block exits.
The City of West Hollywood features tips for making your home fire-safe on the City's website with detailed information about safety considerations and reminders to install smoke alarms and test them regularly.
The City of West Hollywood is served by the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD). As the holidays approach, LACoFD reminds community members to operate space heaters safety, to ensure there is a working carbon monoxide (CO) detector in your home, and to take precautions when using holiday decorations, lights, and candles. Stay up-to-date with information from LACoFD at https://fire.lacounty.gov and follow updates at https://twitter.com/LACOFD.
Los Angeles County has implemented a free mass notification called Alert LA County, which is used to contact residents and businesses via recorded phone messages, text messages, or e-mail messages in case of emergency. West Hollywood residents are encouraged to sign up at https://ready.lacounty.gov/alerts.
For more information about Community Safety in the City of West Hollywood, please call (323) 848-6414 or visit www.weho.org/publicsafety.
To contact Los Angeles County Fire Station No. 7, please call (310) 358-3430. To contact Los Angeles County Fire Station No. 8, please call (323) 654-5445.
The incident occurred at roughly 1:30am on Sunday morning. A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Department declined to comment further
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – The West Hollywood Sheriff's Station has confirmed that two individuals–both female–were arrested for phone thefts at Rocco's WeHo located at 8900 Santa Monica Blvd., across the street from the LASD WeHo Station.
The incident occurred at roughly 1:30am on Sunday morning. A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Department declined to comment further or provide more information stating that it is an ongoing investigation.
Rocco's WeHo describes the phone thefts via their official Instagram @roccosweho:
"Last night one of our dancers observed 2 people who appeared to be pickpocketing cell phones. He jumped off the gogo box, followed them and motioned for our security to detain them. The 2 suspects were arrested and multiple phones were recovered and returned to our valued guests. We are all in this together.
Thanks to our security team for detaining the suspects and for @lasdwesthollywoodstation for responding immediately.
@wehocity is a place for fun not for crime."
A post shared by Rocco's WeHo (@roccosweho)
In another incident, two individuals, one male, and one female, were arrested at The Abbey Food and Bar on Saturday, December 3, 2022, during the evening nightlife hours.
A video posted on social media earlier this month alleges a theft crew is targeting people in West Hollywood and stealing phones and wallets. The video, which originated from the Instagram account @francofriday, states the same people, five males and two females of Hispanic descent stand on the corner of Santa Monica and San Vicente and pickpocket unsuspecting people, taking cell phones and wallets.
"On that corner they pickpocket you. They steal your cellphones, while you're listening to the guy playing music or waiting to cross the street right in that area," he said in the video which received local broadcast news stations' attention. "They grab your cellphones and they put them in a bag. They grab your IDs and your wallet, and they put it in the trash can. Once they put the phones in the trash, one of the girls takes the bag, walks past Revolver and walks to a car and puts in the back seat of a car…"
He said the females grab a key under the hood of the car and put the bags in the back seat. He says he could see the bag full of phones and tried to take a photo.
It is not yet known if the two female suspects arrested at Rocco's are part of this alleged theft ring.
Hey @WeHoCity @WHDLASD
This is happening every single night in West Hollywood and you are doing NOTHING to stop it.
Please share this video and follow Francofriday on Instagram. He is documenting the gangs that are stealing your phones and wallets in Weho#weho #westhollywood pic.twitter.com/ewVqIQu8rD
— Loving WeHo ❤🏳🌈🌴🇺🇦 (@lovingweho) December 6, 2022
If you see something, say something. Anonymous tips on alleged phone thefts can be called into Crimestoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. If you see something, say something. Anyone with information can also drop a tip at https://www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Your identity is always encrypted and anonymous. No personal information, phone number, e-mail, IP address or location is ever requested, saved, traced, tracked or monitored. Period.
Annie Jump Vicente, a former City of LA employee, refused to let deputies into her building without a warrant. She ended up in jail
LASD WeHo Deputies carry a handcuffed Annie Jump Vicente out of her building (Photo Credit: Mariah Darling)
By Cerise Castle | WEST HOLLYWOOD – This past week, deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's West Hollywood Station violently arrested a disabled transgender woman inside of her home for resisting arrest.
Annie Jump Vicente, 31, is a former employee of Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin's office. She worked as a Venice constituent advocate in the city's 11th district, and has also been a site coordinator for LA Family Housing.
Around 3 PM on Wednesday, December 7, Vicente was walking home with her roommate, Mariah Darling, from a nearby grocery store. As the two of them neared their building, Vicente spotted a sheriff's patrol vehicle parked in front of it. She told Darling to continue inside, and she waited outside to see why the deputy was outside of her home.
Another unit parked nearby a few minutes later, and deputies exited and began walking toward the building's door. Vicente inquired about why they were there, and the deputies told her they were investigating a domestic violence incident.
Vicente says that deputies had been to her home the night before to address an ongoing domestic violence issue in a neighboring unit. However, Vicente says they did not take a statement from the victim at that time.
Vicente says that, when the deputies tried to enter the building through a locked door the following afternoon, she informed them that she would not let them in without a warrant and directed them to call the landlord's phone number. The phone number is posted on the door phone Dialpad.
When Vicente would not let the deputies in, a deputy grabbed her arm and the door as it shut behind her, she says. The second deputy followed the first one into the building, and she says the two of them forced her to the floor. Her head was knocked into the wall in the process, leaving her with intense headaches and neck pain. Her smeared makeup and scuff marks from the deputies' boots are still visible on the walls of the building entryway.
Vicente cried out as she was knocked to the floor, prompting Darling to come into the hallway and begin filming. Vicente was handcuffed in the hallway, then hogtied.
pic.twitter.com/OHmj82x7ZI
— Mariah Darling 🏳⚧ (@MariahDarling6) December 8, 2022
On the tape, reviewed by Knock LA, deputies say they have placed Vicente in handcuffs because she would not let them in the building. The video also shows her being carried out into the street while hogtied. The deputies lay her there for over a minute, misgender her, then drag her into the back of the car.
Vicente was taken to the hospital, then returned to the West Hollywood sheriff's station for booking. When released later that night, she photographed the deep welts in her wrists from handcuffs that were too tight.
Annie Jump Vicente's wrists displayed red welts following her arrest, from handcuffs that were too tight.
(Photo courtesy of Jordan David)
"A few days prior, I had a full public comment about [LASD] not doing their job at my building about domestic violence," Vicente tells Knock LA. "And here we are. Two days later."
LASD said in a statement this afternoon that deputies arrived at the building in response to a domestic violence incident and were not allowed in by a woman Knock LA has identified as Annie Jump Vicente. The department said in the statement that, "In domestic violence incidents, every second is critical for the safety of victims involved. As a result of the female preventing Deputies from entering the apartment complex to get to the domestic violence incident, a use of force occurred and the female was arrested for obstructing the Deputies in the lawful course of their duties."
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, police officers can only search a home with a warrant or consent of the occupant.
Jordan David, an organizer with the West Hollywood Social Justice Coalition and friend of Vicente's, says he believes it is highly offensive to portray Vicente as an aggressor.
"Why would they expect her to hold the door instead of obtaining the door code from the caller? We have seen this kind of rhetoric and behavior from the WeHo sheriff's department many times and it's made one thing perfectly clear: they are not here to keep us safe. We keep us safe."
LASD tells Knock LA that they will be presenting charges against Vicente to the Los Angeles district attorney's office. However, the DA tells Knock LA they have not received charges yet.
Vicente has returned home and is planning to continue to speak out about her experience and call for accountability.
"I believe that we can work together to have a better future … not enough people stand up to brutality," she says. "I'll speak out, and I want to encourage others to do so and to stand with me."
Cerise Castle is the editor of the Knock LA. She wrote the first history of deputy gangs inside the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. She's produced and hosted segments for the Emmy-award winning nightly news program, VICE News Tonight, and NPR as well as series for the podcasting giant, Wondery. Her reporting and commentary have been featured in publications like The Daily Beast, The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, and MTV.
The preceding article was previously published by the Knock LA and is republished with permission.
Knock LA is a nonprofit community journalism project, originally conceived by Ground Game LA. We are dedicated to providing independent journalism and telling the real story of LA.
Nominations For its 2023 Rainbow Key Awards, Bike Giveaway Pilot Program, 'Top 10' Alertness and Crime Prevention Tips plus more
City of West Hollywood Receives Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting
WEST HOLLYWOOD, December 7, 2022 – The City of West Hollywood has been awarded with a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and an Award of Financial Reporting Achievement by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2021. This is the 28th consecutive year that the City has been recognized with this achievement.
"Once again, the City of West Hollywood has received high marks for its financial reporting – as we have consistently done for nearly three decades," said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister. "None of our innovative policies and programs can move forward without the City's solid financial management fundamentals, which includes a focus on fiscal responsibility, sound policies, and excellent reporting."
The City's Annual Financial Report is a set of detailed financial statements, which are accompanied by a thorough presentation of the City's financial condition. The government must publish an easily readable and efficiently organized annual financial report, which must satisfy both generally accepted accounting principles and applicable legal requirements.
The report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
The City of West Hollywood's budgets, updates, and other financial reports are provided on the City's website by visiting www.weho.org/budget and clicking on the Financial Reports & Budgets tab in the left sidebar. The City of West Hollywood's Open Data portal includes a page dedicated to the City Budget at http://budget.weho.org. The portal provides easily accessible information about budgeted City revenues and expenditures in a user-friendly format.
For additional information about the Government Finance Officers Association and its Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program (COA), please visit www.gfoa.org/coa-award.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood's Annual Financial Report, please contact Lorena Quijano, City of West Hollywood Director of Finance & Technology Services, at (323) 848-6513 or at [email protected].
West Hollywood Tallies Final General Municipal Election Results
The City of West Hollywood's General Municipal Election was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Election results were regularly updated and posted by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk as Vote-by-Mail, Conditional, and Provisional ballots were processed and verified through Monday, December 5, 2022.
The final Canvass Update on Monday, December 5, 2022 indicates that the top vote-getters are Lauren Meister (6,070 votes), Chelsea Byers (3,960 votes), and John Heilman (3,917 votes); each has secured one of three seats on the City Council of the City of West Hollywood. There are 26,099 registered voters in the City of West Hollywood. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder has certified the results of November's election.
The three newly elected Councilmembers will be sworn-in at the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of West Hollywood on Monday, December 19, 2022 at 6 p.m. The City Council annually elects the City's Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore in a rotation of Councilmembers and the City Council will elect Councilmembers to serve as Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore at its regular meeting on Monday, December 19, 2022. There will be a City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting on Monday, January 9, 2023. West Hollywood City Council meeting agendas are posted in advance on the City of West Hollywood's website at www.weho.org/councilagendas.
Detailed election information is available on the City of West Hollywood's website at www.weho.org/elections and on the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk website at www.lavote.gov.
For additional information, please call the City of West Hollywood's City Clerk's Office at (323) 848-6409.
San Vicente Streetscape Community Plaza Conceptual Render Courtesy City of West Hollywood
Share Feedback about Initial Concept Designs for San Vicente Streetscape Improvements Project
The City invites community members to provide feedback about initial concept designs for the San Vicente Streetscape shared street and plaza improvements project. There will be a virtual meeting via the Zoom platform on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 6 p.m. and people interested in participating can join at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89126456842.
The San Vicente Streetscape shared street and plaza improvements project will host additional opportunities for the community to provide feedback at various stages as part of a comprehensive outreach plan. City staff and consultants will present concept designs that include and reflect feedback received from community outreach presentations and visioning activities that took place in October 2022.
North San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue is oftentimes the location for City-sponsored programming and other City-permitted events. This results in approximately 20 to 30 days of partial or full street closures each year. Because this area was not originally designed for these purposes, tangible challenges arise within this stretch of N. San Vicente Boulevard related to impromptu public gatherings or planned event purposes.
At times, N. San Vicente Boulevard experiences drivers that exceed posted speed limits. Beyond traffic safety issues, serious public health concerns – particularly during the summer – can potentially arise when individuals may spend significant time in direct sun and are subjected to effects from what is known as a "heat island" while standing on hardscape concrete and asphalt surfaces. Heat islands are generally urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas. Structures such as buildings, roads, and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun's heat more than natural landscapes that include trees or water elements and water bodies.
The City of West Hollywood is working with landscape architecture firm !melk to develop a conceptual vision for a new "shared street" that would allow for temporary, partial, or full closures on N. San Vicente Boulevard, account for transit, accessibility, and traffic safety needs, and would be designed as a micro-climate inspired ecosystem. This reimagined area would emphasize larger-scale outdoor gathering space, shading and green space, wildlife propagation, water resource management, and pedestrian-oriented design strategies in support of city-sponsored or otherwise approved programs and events, permitted activities, and organized or impromptu gatherings.
The intent is to have a space that can provide new flexibility and transform seasonally and situationally. If carefully crafted as a "streetscape plaza," this bookended and protected area could operate as either a programmatic extension of West Hollywood Park, as a useful companion to the forthcoming STORIES: The AIDS Monument, or as an independent civic or public event space itself. Centrally located within the City's westside, the San Vicente Streetscape Plaza would be well buffered from a sound standpoint from residentially zoned areas nearby yet still be very walkable and in close enough proximity from the diversely scaled neighborhoods that surround it.
For additional information, please visit the project website or contact Garen Yolles, City of West Hollywood Architectural and Urban Designer in the City's Urban Design and Architecture Studio, at (323) 848-6827 or at [email protected].
For people who require hearing assistance or other forms of accommodation please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
Winter Wonderland at West Hollywood Park
The City will host its inaugural Winter Wonderland event on Saturday, December 17, 2022 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard.
The highlight of this event is the transformation of West Hollywood Park into a picturesque Winter Wonderland with 10 tons of snow on the South Lawn! Two snow zones will be in place, one for ages 5-and-under, and another for ages 6-to-16. Don your gay apparel, sweaters, gloves, and boots, hop on your sleigh and point it toward West Hollywood Park for a sweet and festive adventure full of fun and cheer! Yule be sorry if you miss it!
Additional event festivities include game booths, crafts, holiday décor, hot cocoa and snacks, performances by community groups, a DJ spinning holiday classics, plenty of opportunities to take elfies and remember, no resting Grinch face.
In case of rain, the event will move to the gymnasium inside the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center, located at 8750 El Tovar Place, directly adjacent to the West Hollywood Park grounds.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood's Winter Wonderland event, please contact the City's Recreation Services Division at (323) 848-6534 or at [email protected].
City Reminds Visitors, Residents, and Businesses to Stay Safe during the Holiday Season with 'Top 10' Alertness and Crime Prevention Tips
With the holiday shopping season having kicked off on Black Friday, public safety becomes especially important. This is a time of year when people are rushed and distracted and there are always those who are looking to take advantage of others by committing crimes of opportunity.
The City of West Hollywood will host a news conference on Tuesday, December 6 at 10 a.m. outside of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's West Hollywood Station (780 N. San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood) to remind visitors and community members to be alert and mindful as they go about their holiday activities to prevent crimes of opportunity.
West Hollywood is a great place to bring family and friends who are visiting and to do holiday shopping and celebrating. The holidays are also a time, however when opportunists may look for easy targets. West Hollywood is as susceptible to crimes as cities throughout the region. Taking basic preventive steps to follow common-sense tips can help enhance safety and reduce crime.
"We want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday season," said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister. "That means we need to be aware of our surroundings. Busy shoppers can get distracted and become vulnerable to theft and other holiday crimes. Let's keep the season joyful by taking the necessary steps to help prevent these crimes of opportunity before they take place. Whether we live here, work here, or are visiting, we can never be too careful or too prepared."
The City has assembled Holiday Safety Alertness and Crime Prevention tips in cooperation with the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station, as well as other local safety organizations, such as the City's Block by Block Security Ambassadors program. The following are 10 tips can help prevent crimes of opportunity:
Lock your car and hide your valuables in the trunk – keep recent purchases out of sight.
Stay alert to your surroundings – park in a safe, well-lit place, don't overburden yourself with packages and be cognizant of who's around you.
Watch your packages – get a camera if they're delivered to your home, or consider getting a locker/P.O. box for deliveries instead.
Light up your house – add motion-sensor lights as an added security measure.
Hang onto your purse or backpack – don't leave it on the back of a chair while dining or in a shopping cart.
Keep your wallet and cell phone in your front pocket to avoid being pickpocketed.
Watch your drinks when out at a bar and be mindful of leaving with people you don't know. Don't over-imbibe, whether it's alcohol or legal cannabis, as consuming even small amounts may leave you vulnerable.
Secure your luggage – if you're visiting from out of town, don't leave luggage unattended or where it can be seen.
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash – pay with a check or credit card whenever possible.
Don't walk around with your head in your phone – look up and know what's going on around you.
The City is sharing important holiday safety tips in digital transit shelter ads in West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station will conduct Holiday Community Safety Patrol operations to prevent crime. The City's Block by Block Security Ambassadors have been expanded over the past several months and Block by Block is performing foot patrols 24/7.
As always, the City and its public safety partners urge community members not to drink (or use) and drive. Even one drink can impair judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk — or worse, the risk of having a crash while driving. If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead and designate a sober driver who hasn't had any alcohol. The City regularly conducts drink safety training, as well, for alcohol-serving bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department regularly conducts DUI checkpoints in the City.
For anyone with public safety concerns, please reach out to the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station 24/7 at (310) 855-8850. The City has launched a new and easy-to-remember toll-free phone number for its Block by Block Security Ambassadors Program, as well: (833) WEHO-BBB or (833) 934-6222. The hotline manages incoming non-emergency and non-violent calls for service 24/7. For concerns about the safety and well-being of community members experiencing homelessness, please call the City's Homeless Concern Line at (323) 848-6590. In an emergency, always call 911.
For additional information, please visit www.weho.org/publicsafety.
For more information, please contact City of West Hollywood Director of Community Safety Danny Rivas at (323) 848-6424 or [email protected].
Upgrade To Parking Systems Software and Technology
The City of West Hollywood's Parking Services Division is working on improvements for residents, businesses, and community members who use the City's parking website area at www.weho.org/parking for permits and citations.
In December 2022, the City will upgrade technology and install new software systems to make parking services easier to use and navigate. The City's goal is to save time and improve the experience for community members.
From Thursday, December 8, 2022 to Monday, December 12, 2022 the permit and citation portions of the parking area of the City's website will be inaccessible. The City understands that this is an inconvenience and it is grateful for patience as it completes efforts to make changes.
The City's new parking software system is anticipated to launch on Monday, December 12, 2022 at the same website area: www.weho.org/parking.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood's Parking Systems Software and Technology Upgrade, please call (323) 848-6578.
City of West Hollywood Opens Nominations For its 2023 Rainbow Key Awards
The City of West Hollywood is gathering nominations for its 2023 Rainbow Key Awards. The City's Rainbow Key Awards recognize people who have made outstanding contributions to the LGBTQ+ community.
Nominations may be submitted electronically through the City's website at www.weho.org/rainbowkey. Nomination forms are due by Tuesday, January 31, 2023. The awards presentations are scheduled to take place in the Summer of 2023.
Since 1993, the City of West Hollywood has presented Rainbow Key Awards to individuals and groups that have gone above and beyond in their service to the LGBTQ community. Contributions have come in many forms, including the arts, community service, humanitarian action, sports, medicine, armed services, leadership potential, benefit to the global LGBTQ community, and more. Past honorees have included activists, artists, civic leaders, educators, community organizations, and many others.
Nominations will be reviewed by the City of West Hollywood's LGBTQ+ Advisory Board and recommendations for honorees will be referred to the West Hollywood City Council for final approval.
For more information, please contact Moya Márquez, City of West Hollywood Community Programs Coordinator, at (323) 848-6574 or at [email protected].
West Hollywood Announces Bike Giveaway Pilot Program
The City of West Hollywood is launching its Bike Giveaway Pilot Program. The program will be giving away 50 bicycles in collaboration with Schwinn to encourage more bicycling and less driving among West Hollywood residents to further the City's climate action goals.
The City has opened an application portal with program details at www.weho.org/bikegiveaway. West Hollywood residents who are 18 years or older are eligible to apply for a free bike as part of the Pilot Program. The City will collect applications during the next few weeks and is anticipated to select 50 individual recipients in February 2023 through a random lottery.
Residents selected to receive a free bicycle will agree to commit to riding a minimum number of 20 miles per month and will complete monthly reports with odometer readings. In addition, participants will need to complete a survey before receiving a Bike Giveaway Pilot Program bicycle. Full participation in the program is required for residents to keep bicycles for the long-term.
By getting people out of cars and onto bikes, the Pilot Program aims at supporting multi-modal transportation to reduce citywide vehicle miles traveled while supporting the City's Core Value of Responsibility for the Environment. In West Hollywood, passenger vehicles and trucks contribute to roughly 1-million average vehicles miles traveled, resulting in more than 62,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Choosing a bicycle over a car just once-a-day can lead to an up-to-67% reduction in transportation emissions. As a result, by providing people with bicycles and the option to bike instead of drive, the Bike Giveaway Pilot Program is a great tool to reduce emissions from vehicle miles traveled.
There are many ways to explore West Hollywood without a car. By foot, by bike, or by transit, navigating West Hollywood car-free has never been easier. Going car-free creates new opportunities to run into friends and meet new ones, enjoy fresh air on a beautiful day, see places you never noticed before, and get some exercise along the way.
The City of West Hollywood is committed to supporting multi-modal transportation options and promoting West Hollywood as a walkable and bikeable place. In 2017, the City of West Hollywood adopted its Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Plan, which provides a roadmap to improving the City's pedestrian and bicycle environment. The PBMP identifies several categories of projects including improvements at unsignalized crosswalks, signalized intersections, and bicycle improvements.
For additional information, please contact Monica Gonzalez in the City of West Hollywood's Long Range Planning Division at (323) 848-6542 or at [email protected].
LA Sheriff's & FBI address LGBTQ safety in a multi-agency briefing
Security concerns are currently elevated in West Hollywood's Rainbow district after nightlife patrons at The Abbey Thursday had a gun scare
FBI multi-agency LGBTQ Safety Briefing (Photo Credit: West Hollywood Sheriff's Station Instagram)
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – In light of recent events impacting the LGBTQ community around the nation, including the deadly shooting at the LGBTQ+ Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs last month, the Los Angeles County West Hollywood Sheriff's Substation in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), hosted a briefing to address LGBTQ safety.
The presentation was held Thursday, December 8th, was conducted by a terrorism expert from the FBI' Los Angeles Field Office that included details of the June 2016 mass-shooting at the LGBTQ+ Pulse night club in Orlando, Florida, covering topics such as information leading to the attack, the aftermath, and lessons learned.
Security concerns are currently elevated in West Hollywood's Rainbow district after nightlife patrons at The Abbey Thursday had a gun scare when deputies stormed the popular bar in search of an alleged armed man inside.
Deputies launched an investigation after a security guard called alleging a man had a gun. Deputies evacuated The Abbey and swarmed the club but did not find him. Authorities said surveillance video captured images of the suspect in the bar with the weapon.
"We do have our EPT team, which is our entertainment policing team – they're always doing patrol checks at all the businesses on Sunset and Santa Monica, so that's why we got here within seconds," Sgt. Joana Warren with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told reporters outside of the Abbey.
In the spirit of collaboration and teamwork, the attendees from the FBI briefing included officers from surrounding police agencies, Block by Block safety ambassadors, code enforcement and parking enforcement personnel for the City of West Hollywood.
"Thanks to our partners in WHD Community Safety and the FBI, who assisted us in making this possible," reads a post in the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station's official Instagram account. "We look forward to hosting more critical incident reviews so we can continue to learn, collaborate, and work as one team to keep our communities safe."
The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations (LACCHR) released a report Wednesday that showed that hate crimes in Los Angeles County have reached a total that is the highest recorded in 19 years.
The crimes overwhelmingly included acts of violence, and more than half were spurred by racism. Blacks, Latinos, Jews and LGBTQ individuals were the most-targeted groups. While Black residents only make up 9% of the county's population, the report showed that they comprise 46% of hate crime victims.
LGBTQ+ people were too often the victims of these hate crimes. Crimes based on sexual orientation went up by 15%, with 85% of them targeting gay men; 89% of these incidents were violent. Meanwhile, of the 41 reported anti-transgender crimes, 93% were of a violent nature—a rate of violence higher than any other marginalized group recorded by the report. These numbers only reflect a fraction of actual hate-motivated incidents; it's estimated that nearly half of all hate crimes go unreported.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a terror threat bulletin November 30, warning that domestic extremists have posted online praise for the fatal shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado earlier this month. and have called for copycat attacks.
In its bulletin, DHS officials noted that several recent attacks, plots, and threats of violence demonstrate the continued dynamic and complex nature of the threat environment in the United States:
"Some domestic violent extremists who have conducted attacks have cited previous attacks and attackers as inspiration. Following the late November shooting at an LGBTQI+ bar in Colorado Springs, Colorado—which remains under investigation—we have observed actors on forums known to post racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist content praising the alleged attacker. Similarly, some domestic violent extremists in the United States praised an October 2022 shooting at a LGBTQI+ bar in Slovakia and encouraged additional violence. The attacker in Slovakia posted a manifesto online espousing white supremacist beliefs and his admiration for prior attackers, including some within the United States," DHS warned.
Joshua Schare, Director of Communications for the City of West Hollywood in an email noted:
"The City of West Hollywood has taken any action to enhance security following the Club Q mass shooting. There are expanded patrols and personnel have been deployed by the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station and the City's Block by Block Security Ambassador program within the Rainbow District. This deployment will continue in the foreseeable future as the City's law enforcement partners continue to assess any risks identified locally and throughout the region.
The Sheriff's Station is fielding Holiday Community Safety Patrols to proactively prevent crime during the holiday season so that residents and businesses can continue to be safe and so that people coming to our community to shop, eat at a restaurant, enjoy our nightlife, or stay at a hotel will also be safe and the Sheriff's COPPS Team is out during the days and its Entertainment Policing Team (EPT) is out at night proactively ensuring safety in the community."
Additional reporting from The Los Angeles Blade
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